(New) Scientific American old archive

2011-11-04 07:10 (comments: 0)

(New) Scientific American published recently its digitized archive of years before 1900 online. It will only temporarily be available for free. The power of the internet is such that fundamental disciplines like history or sociology get rejuvenated after millenia of establishment. I find this fascinating. Just citing from the first number of the first year (August 28, 1845):

Lowell As It Was And It Is by ref. Henry A. Miles is a neat 18mo. 234 pages just issued by Powers & Bagley, Lowell. It is full of facts of general interest. We learn from it that the Merrimac Company (whose dividends are so often quoted) employs 1250 women, whose average earnings considerably exceed 2$ each per week above the cost of their board. The laboring men average 85 cents per day above their board; fifty-six overseers receive 2$-each per day with occasional premiums...

The storm of puzzling and reflections that this brings to one's mind is boggling. And it is just a very small piece. A real treasure.